Shadow and Light
by Elle Mira
Summary: A short drabble about what is going on in Colin's head as he undergoes his second surgery.


[A/N: Hola hola, chicos. Elle here. Had a terribly rough day today. My science final was unbelievably hard. Summer is so close, yet so far. Anywho, I just thought I'd write a drabble that is not E/A. (Big step for me.) It has some symbolism, so see if you can pick it out. Also, please don't skim, because you really can't with this kind of thing. Review my other stuff. And please pass me an email, too. You guys are all so cool and all authors like me and I want to get to know you! So: kelsbooknook@aol.com. There ya go. Now read and enjoy. *: Gives them big toothy smile:*]

"I want you to count backwards from ten, Colin."

"Ten, nine, eight . . . sev. . . ."

His last words are wane away as he struggles with a heavy tugging on his eyelids. The doctor before him grows blurry and the room begins to spin, and finally he lets go and darkness passes over him.

For seconds . . . minutes . . . hours, there is nothing. Nothing but the strangely comforting dark.

And then he is suddenly finds himself where he was the day before, immersed in sunlight during the car ride home. He is saying, "I love you, Amy."

She smiles and looks away. "You're just such a jerk."

His own laughter. Then darkness again.

A new remembrance is flashing before his eyes. His arm feels as though it is weighted down, and he remembers that it is in a cast. He finds that he is in the halls of the high school. Ephram Brown is walking off before him. "I lied to you, Ephram. I acted like the reason I was gonna be your friend was because of your dad, but it's not. It's something else."

Ephram sighs, annoyed. "All right. Let's hear it." 

"I don't know you. But more importantly, you don't know me. You're the only person in this school who doesn't expect me to remember them or expect me to be this guy that I don't even know who he was. You know, I'm trying to please all these people but it's wearing me out, man. "

As the other boy says, "I can understand that," Colin returns to darkness. It stays that way for a considerable amount of time and he wishes that he has control over these memories dashing in front of his vision. But before he can finish the thought, he is standing on a fallen tree overlooking blue-green water that shimmers in brilliance.

"Colin, that's my confirmation cross! "

"Come and get it!" 

Amy's face is serious. He can't help but laugh. "I swear, if you drop it, I will never forgive you! Give it back!" 

"I said come and get it!" He journeys out farther onto the branch. 

"Colin!" Nervously, she starts to follow him.

"Come on!"

"Colin!" she cries, still gingerly walking toward him. She finally reaches him and their hands link together. 

"Ready?"

They both laugh cheerfully. Amy says, "One, two, three. . . ."

Hand in hand, they both leap forward and plunge into the both verdant and azure water below them. Colin's ears are flushed with water and he immediately can't see or breathe. In a panic, he tries to do something but is powerless. He cannot move, frozen and weighted down by some unseen force.

Again darkness grabs hold of him. He waits patiently.

He hears a much younger Amy again yelling, "Colin! Give it back!"

He chuckles cruelly. "No way!" 

Furiously, she grits her teeth and charges at him. "Coliiin!" He dodges her and she yells, "Give me back Grover, stupid!"

"I'm not giving it back unless. . . ."

She folds her arms and stares at him, her adorable eyes wide. "Unless what?"

"Unless you kiss me."

She makes a face. "Yeah right!"

Colin smiles and shrugs. "All right. Guess Grover's all mine, then."

"Wait!" she cries in despair. "Fine."

She closes her eyes and he closes his. And then, suddenly. . . . 

  
"OOWWW!" Colin, clutching his groin, doubles over.

People are thundering up the stairs and yelling, "What is it? What is it?" Amy's parents are at the young boy's side. They kneel down next to him and ask with concern, "What happened, Colin, sweetie?" He doesn't respond, but they continue pestering.

Finally, he looks over at Amy's worried expression and grins. Gesturing at the doll that lays on the floor he says, "Grover kicked me in the nuts."

The scene fades. Suddenly he is in a sunlit room, his washroom, even younger, standing with a blonde boy who is husky for his age. "Ready?"

  
"Yeah." Colin chuckles. "Sparky'll love the washing machine."

"I know. I would like it, but I'm not small enough," Bright babbles. He opens the washer and Colin brings his tiny hand over to it. Within his palm there is a small, pulsating, green form. He uncurls his little hand and lets the frog fall into the washing machine. 

For a moment there is the sound of the machine's heavy, pounding rhythm as it operates, but then it is dark once more. 

There is silence until an ear-piercing scream escapes him. "BRIGHT!" The other boy is by his side, swerving, fumbling with the steering wheel, but abruptly Colin is trapped under masses of hefty steel that are suffocating him, smothering him. A white blinding light flashes before his eyes. A beeping in his ear. Pain in his head. A rough voice, the voice of Dr. Brown, saying, "Hold on, Colin. Hold on. . . ."

He feels as though the weight has been lifted from him.

Once more, darkness. So dark it consumes him. And then there is no light, there is no dark, there is no white or black, there is only nothing. Nothing as deep and endless as the sea. 

--Fin--

[A/N: Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry I didn't let you know if he lives or dies. This way I can't be wrong when September comes along. So, did you like it? If you can't figure out the symbolism, I'll give you a clue: dark vs. light, weight vs. weightlessness. You'll find that they are big themes in the story. Interpret them however you want, just review! And read my other stories. And email me. Thanks a bunch!

--Elle]


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